HK Police cracks down on traffic offenders

North Point

To improve road safety, the Hong Kong Police will begin tomorrow (December 9) a five-day territory-wide pedestrian road safety operation.

The police said the operation, which will last until to December 13, aims to reduce traffic accidents involving pedestrians, in particular senior citizens and young students.

“Enforcement action will be taken during the operation. The Police will issue summons against pedestrians who have blatantly jaywalked or committed other serious traffic offences,” the police said in a statement.

Officers from the Police Regional Road Safety Teams had distributed publicity leaflets at various locations in the territory prior to the operation to enhance pedestrians’ road safety awareness and urge members of the public to comply with road traffic regulations.

A Police spokesman said that common pedestrian offences included disobeying light signals, crossing within 15 meters of a pedestrian crossing without using such facility, and climbing over a kerbside fence or through a central reservation onto a carriageway.

From January to October 2016, there were 2,797 pedestrian casualties and 64 fatalities.
Among the deceased, 37 persons were aged 65 or above, the police said.

Comparing with the same period last year, the number of pedestrian casualties, fatalities and fatalities aged 65 or above in traffic accidents decreased by 120, five and three respectively, it added.